Indian Polity, National Movement, and World History Review

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering the Union Executive and Legislature of India, the First War of Independence (1857), Indian Socio-Religious Reformers, Early and Assertive Nationalists, the World Wars, and key United Nations agencies.

Executive Powers of the President

The powers under which the President serves as the Head of the Indian Union, carries out all executive actions in their name, appoints the Prime Minister, Council of Ministers, Chief Justice, judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts, Governors, Lt-Governors, and Chief Commissioners, and administers Union Territories and border areas.

National Emergency

An emergency declared by the President due to a threat of war, external aggression, or armed rebellion, which is valid for $6\text{ months}$ at a time.

President’s Rule

An emergency declared in a State due to the failure of constitutional machinery, which remains valid for $2\text{ months}$.

Financial Emergency

An emergency declared due to a threat to the financial stability of India, which is valid for $2\text{ months}$ unless approved by Parliament.

Lok Sabha (House of the People)

The Lower House of Parliament whose members are directly elected by the people through Universal Adult Franchise and Secret Ballot; it has a maximum strength of $550$ members ($530$ from States, $20$ from Union Territories), a normal term of $5\text{ years}$, and can be dissolved earlier by the President on the Prime Minister's advice.

Rajya Sabha (Council of States)

The Upper House of Parliament and a permanent body not subject to dissolution; it has a maximum strength of $250$ members ($238$ elected by State Legislative Assemblies, $12$ nominated by the President), where $1/3\text{rd}$ of members retire every $2\text{ years}$ and each member serves a $6\text{ year}$ term.

Cabinet Ministers

Senior ministers who hold important portfolios such as Defence, Finance, and External Affairs, may handle more than one ministry, and always attend Cabinet meetings as core decision-makers.

Ministers of State

Ministers who assist in ministries and may or may not hold independent charge; they do not attend Cabinet meetings regularly but may be invited when their department is discussed.

Deputy Ministers

Junior ministers with no independent department who assist senior ministers in their work and do not attend Cabinet meetings.

Council of Ministers

The constitutional body that includes all ranks of ministers (Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, and Deputy Ministers) and rarely meets as a whole, but on whose advice the President constitutionally acts.

Cabinet

A smaller body consisting only of senior ministers with key portfolios who meet frequently to formulate policies, prepare the Annual Budget, advise the President, and decide on emergencies.

Prime Minister of India

The real executive head of the government who advises the nominal head (the President), leads the Cabinet, acts as the Leader of the House in Parliament, and serves as ex-officio Chairman of NITI Aayog and the Atomic Energy Commission.

Triple Alliance

The pre-First World War alliance established between Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Italy.

Triple Entente

The pre-First World War alliance formed between Britain, France, and Russia.

Treaty of Versailles (1919)

The peace treaty that concluded the First World War, imposing harsh terms on Germany including territorial and colonial losses.

Axis Powers

The alliance of nations during the Second World War comprising Germany, Italy, and Japan.

Allied Powers

The alliance of nations during the Second World War comprising Britain, France, the USSR, and the USA.

Government of India Act, 1858

The British parliamentary statute enacted after the First War of Independence of $1857$ that brought an end to the East India Company's rule in India.

General Service Enlistment Act

A military decree that caused widespread resentment among Indian sepoys prior to the $1857$ revolt by requiring them to serve overseas or wherever deployed.

Enfield Rifle

The weapon whose introduction, specifically due to the use of greased cartridges offensive to Hindu and Muslim religious sentiments, served as the immediate cause of the First War of Independence ($1857$).

Dadabhai Naoroji

Nationalist leader known as the "Grand Old Man of India," the first Indian member in the British House of Commons, founder of the East India Association ($1866$), author of Poverty and Un-British Rule in India, and proponent of the Drain Theory.

Gopal Krishna Gokhale

Moderate nationalist leader, Companion of the Indian Empire (C.I.E.), and political mentor of Mahatma Gandhi who founded the Servants of India Society in $1905$ and played a key role in the Minto-Morley Reforms.

Surendranath Banerjee

Leader known as the "Father of Indian Nationalism," the first Indian to qualify for the I.C.S. Exam, founder of the Indian Association ($1876$), and author of the book A Nation in the Making.

Raja Ram Mohan Roy

Bengali humanist reformer who believed in monotheism, founded the Brahmo Samaj ($1828$), published Samwad Kaumudi and Mirat-ul-Akhbar, and successfully campaigned for the abolition of Sati in $1829$ with Lord William Bentinck.

Jyotiba Phule

Low-caste urban educated reformer who founded the Satya Shodhak Samaj ($1873$), authored Ghulamgiri, established schools for untouchables in $1854$, and opened the first girls' school in Pune alongside his wife Savitribai.

Bal Gangadhar Tilak

Assertive nationalist leader known as the "Father of Assertive Nationalism," who declared "Swaraj is my birthright and I shall have it," organized lathi clubs and akharas, used Ganapati and Shivaji festivals to spread nationalism, and founded the Home Rule League in Pune ($1916$).

Bipin Chandra Pal

Leader known as the "Father of Revolutionary Thought in India," who advocated National Education as the basis of the freedom movement and wrote for Bengal Public Opinion, The Tribune, and New India.

Lala Lajpat Rai

Nationalist leader known as "Punjab Kesari" (Sher-e-Punjab) who founded the Servants of the People Society, started the monthly Young India magazine in the USA, and expanded D.A.V. College in Lahore.

UNICEF (United Nations Children’s Fund)

A United Nations agency established in $1946$ and headquartered in New York, dedicated to child welfare by providing low-cost services in maternal and child health, nutrition, and immunisation.

WHO (World Health Organisation)

A specialised UN agency established on $7\text{th April, } 1948$ and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, whose objective is the attainment of the highest possible level of health for all people.

UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation)

A UN agency established on $4\text{th November, } 1946$ and headquartered in Paris, tasked with promoting peace and security through international collaboration in education, science, culture, and communication.